Millet Pilaf with Dried Cranberries {gluten-free & vegan}

This simple millet pilaf with dried cranberries is a great vegan & gluten-free alternative to stuffing at Thanksgiving or anytime!

Make Pilaf a Modern Meal Staple

Hi, everyone! Today I’m posting about a tried & true dish worth revisiting: pilaf.

Alas, pilaf has been marginalized (along with fricassees, stroganoffs, aspics and all things devilled) as a dish reminiscent of 1950s home economics classes: outdated, and bereft of style and fashion.

If people are familiar with pilaf at all, it is only as an oily buffet offering, studded with limp carrot and celery cubes. Who would bother making pilaf?

I would, that’s who, and I hope by the end of this posting I will have convinced a handful of others, too.

Make Pilaf with Millet, a Supergrain

Pilaf can be made with any variety of grains, but rice is the most common. To switch things up, today’s recipe uses a different grain, the ancient grain millet.

Millet is a gluten-free, allergen-free, alkaline, low-glycemic grain, plus 1 cup of cooked millet contains about 6 grams of protein. It is also very inexpensive and perfect in pilaf!

Now, back to the pilaf. Two steps make a pilaf a pilaf: first, the grains are briefly cooked in a scant amount of oil or butter; second, a flavorful liquid is added to the grains to make them tender.

Once the grains have been cooked in the liquid, other foods can be added to the pot—think vegetables, tofu, chicken, beans, seafood; you name it. As you’ve probably guessed, pilaf can escape its side dish subjugation and enter the world of entrees with a few hearty additions.

That’s it—an ideal everyday dish in minutes with countless flavor combinations. Happy eating, everyone!

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   3. Millet Apricot Energy Bars (no-cook, 5 ingredients)
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   5. Curried Millet with Raw Apple Relish
   6. Carrot Cake Millet Breakfast Bars {Low Fodmap}

Millet Pilaf with Dried Cranberries {gluten-free & vegan}

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• Author: Camilla
• Prep Time: 10
• Cook Time: 50
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 6 side-dish servings 1x
• Diet: Vegan

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Description

This simple millet pilaf with dried cranberries is a great vegan & gluten-free alternative to stuffing at Thanksgiving or anytime!

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped, peeled carrots
• 1 medium red or orange bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup uncooked millet
• 3 cups (750 mL) low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped
• fine sea salt & pepper to taste

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Instructions

1. Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat. Add the onions, carrots and peppers; cook and stir for 7 minutes until softened and onions begin to brown..
2. Add the garlic and millet; cook and stir 2 minutes longer.
3. Add broth and bring to a simmer. Cover, and reduce heat to medium low. Simmer for 35 to 40 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and millet is tender.
4. Remove from heat and add cranberries. Cover and let stand 5 minutes. Remove and fluff with a fork. Stir in the parsley and season to taste with salt and pepper.

• Category: Side-Dish
• Method: Stovetop
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1/6 of recipe
• Calories: 134 g
• Sugar: 14 g
• Sodium: 251 mg
• Fat: 3 g
• Saturated Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 25.7 g
• Fiber: 3 g
• Protein: 2 g
• Cholesterol: 0 mg

Keywords: millet, pilaf, ancient grains, vegan side dish, gluten-free side dish, stuffing alternative, Thanksgiving